Circular-knitting machine for ribbed work



(No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. F. GORDON. V CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE FOR RIBBED WORK.

No. 469,694. Patented Mar. 1, 1892.

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' J F. GORDON. CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE FOR RIBBED WORK.

No. 469,694 Patented Mala-1, 1 89 2.

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(No Model.) 7 sheets-sheet a.

J P. GORDON. CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE FOB. RIBBED WORK. No. 469,694. Patented Mar. 1, 1892.

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(No Moder.) .7'SheetsShee't 4.

J. F. GORDON. GIRGULAR KNITTING MAGHINE FOR RIBBED WORK.

Patnted Mar. 1 1892.

(Nd Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 5.

J. F. GORDON. CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE FOR RIBBED WORK. No. 469,694. Patented Mar. 1, 1892.

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J. P. GORDON. GIRGULAR KNITTING MACHINE FOB. RIBBED WORK.

No. 469,694. Patented Mar. 1, 1892;

(NO Model.) 7 Sheets-She.et 7.

. J. P. GORDON. CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE FOR RIBBED WORK. No. 469,694.

Patented Mar. 1, 1892,

UNITED STATES PATENT QEETCE.

JAMES F. GORDON, OF LOlVELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

CIRCULAR-KNITTING MACHINE FOR RIBBED WORK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 469,694, dated March 1, 1892.

- Application filed September 1, 1890. Serial No. 363,678. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES F. GORDON, of Lowell, county of Hiddlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Circular-Knitting Machines forRibbed lVork, of which the followingdescription,in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters and figures on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention in circular machines has more especiallyfor its object to improve and simplify the construction of the parts, and

also to make this class of machines automatic, particularly as to changes in knitting when slack courses and welts are to be made, the construction of the parts being such as to enable the machine to be run at high speed.

My improved machine contains a vertical series of needles arranged in a cylinder, a horizontal series of needles called dial-needles, the said needles having combined with them a series of Web-holders arranged in a web-holder bed, and a pattern-surface and intermediate devices whereby the dial-needles may be thrown into and out of action at the desired times for the prod notion of a welt, and the stitch-cam forthe cylinder-needles be automatically moved at desired times for the production of slack courses.

Machines of the class to be herein 'described have generally made welts composed of about three courses of loops; but in the machine herein to be described as improved by me the welt may be of any number of courses greater than three that may be de sired.

Figures 1 and 2, taken together, show in vertical section in the line :,Fig. hamachine embodying my invention. Fig. 1 is a detail showing part of the needle-cylinder and webholder bed with one of the connecting-strips 30. Fig. 3 is a partial left-hand side View of my improved machine; Fig. 4:, a top view of the same, the section being below the line :23, Figs. 1 and 3, said figure showing by dotted lines the shape of the web-holder actuatingcam groove,the remaining web-holders being omitted to avoid confusion in the drawings. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail in plan of the earn-ring for operating the cylinder-needles; Fig. 6, a partial inside view of the cam-cylim der; Fig. 7, a section below the line a Fig. 1,

chiefly to show the dial; and the dial-needleactuating devices, the cam being shown in position to actuate the dial-needles for ribknitting, the needles being omitted. Fig. 8 shows in two views the throwing-out cam detached. Fig. 9 in two views shows the drawing-in cam for the dial-needles detached. Fig. 10 is a top View of the plate, to the un der side of which the dial-needle-actuating cams are attached. Fig. 11 is a top or plan view of the controlling-plate moved by the pattern mechanism to control the position of the drawing-in and throwing-out cams for the dial-needles, it in practice resting on top of the dial cam-plate shown in Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is a detail showing part of the take-up for the work with the ca m projection for operating the rolls; Fig. 13, a plan view of the take-up devices detached or a top view of most of the parts shown in Fig. 12. Figs. lat and 15 are details showing the fast and loose pulleys and the belt-controlling devices. Fig. 16 shows one of the web-holders detached.

The main frame-work consists, essentially, as shown, of a base A, having uprights A, which sustain a bed-plate A, on which are mounted the chief working parts and their bearings.

The power-shaft A has fast and loose pulleys A A which receive a belt A which may be driven in any usual manner. -As shown, the belt is passed through abelt-shipper A, mounted in a rock-shaft A having a handle A by which to ship the belt by hand when desired. This handle is, however, provided with a projection A", (see Figsrl and 15,) which when acted upon by a dog A herein represented as under the control of a spring A, also causes the shipper-handle to be moved to stop the machine. This dog when the machine is in regular operation is held down by a latch A pivoted at A and normally kept in engagement with the dog by a spring A.

The take-up to be described has a feeler A (shown best in Figs. 1 and 13,) which normally bears on the knitted material just in advance of the take-up rolls A A ,which rolls have their journals supported by and rotating in a frame depending from the needlecylinder, all in usual manner. This feeler, as shown, forms part of a rock-shaft A having at one end a crank-like finger, which stands in the position Fig. 13 when the fabric is being properly taken up, but which when the fabric is not held stretched and at propertension drops, and then its downturned end in the rotation of the frame meets the latch A turns the said latch so that it is moved to release the dog A when. the spring A acts to move the said dog, turn the shipper-handle, and stop the machine.

The power-shaft at its inner end has a bevel-pinion B, which engages a pinion B, fast on the main or upright shaft B which is extended down to the base, where it entersa bearing B the said shaft having near its lower end a gear B which engages a larger gear B fast on and so as to rotate the can B which receives the work. This can has a pintle B to enter a proper step B and at its upper end, which is open for the full diameter of the can and which diameter is larger than the diameter of the cylinder, the said can is provided with a bearing B By driving the can at its bottom from the shaft B it is possible to make the can of greater capacity, thus to hold more material.

The shaft 13 at its upper end is provided with a long pinion B which, through two intermediate pinions 13 B engage and rotate the gear 13, fast on the upper end of the dial-shaft B having its bearingin a bracket B shown as provided with a sleeve and loosely mounted on the stand B erected on the bed and forming the upper bearing for the main shaft. This sleeve issplit for part of its length and provided with ears, through which is passed a clamp-screw E by which the said sleeve may be clamped on the stand 13", except when it is desired to lift the dialplate. The slot referred to receives a stud B and the sleeve has a foot B (see Fig. 4,) which projects laterally and surrounds a fixed centering-pin B, which, when the foot is on the said pin, defines the true position of the dial-shaft with relation to the cylinder. This pin 13 is, however, so short that when the sleeve is lifted far enough to bring the horizontal part 2 of the slot in the sleeve opposite the stud B the foot rises above the said pin, so that the sleeve, with the parts connected therewith,may swingpartially about thestand B to remove the dial from over the center of the cylinder. The long gear B permits the bracket B and the parts carried thereby to be lifted, as described, without disconnecting the intermediate gear B from the gear B and consequently the proper Working position for the dial-needles with relation to the cylinder-needles is always maintained.

The dial-shaft has at its lower end a dial 0, suitably grooved for the reception of the dialneedles to. (Shown only in Figs. 1 and at.) The dial cam-plate C surrounds the lower end of the bearing B forming part of the stand 5 the split hub of the said plate being extendedupwardly and embraced by a clamp 61, provided with a clamp-screw a to clamp the said hub firmly on the said hearing. The dial cant-plate having two slots or openings 0 0, has attached to its under side by screws a a steel plate a and it has also pivoted to it at a (see Fig. 7) the throwing-out cam a This said dial cam-plate has pivoted on it at a the drawing-in cam a and has attached to it by screws 0 the curb C,which forms the outer wall of the groove which acts to move the dial-needles a. The clamp to acts to hold down frictionally on the dial cam-plate the dial-cam-controlling plate D, having slots D andD the slot D being adapted to be changed in width by a finger D pivoted at D and made adjustable by a screw D The slot D receives in it a pin or projection b of the throwing-out cam, said pin rising through the opening 0 and the slot D receives a pin or projection b of the drawing-in cam, the latter pin rising through the opening 0 The plate vD has a lug, with which is connected a link b attached to an arm 11 of a rock-shaft 12 having suitable bearings at b the opposite end of the said shaft being provided with a double-ended finger 0, called by me the welt-finger, it having a toe 3 and a heel 4:. This finger has a lug 5, which is connected by a link 0' to the upper end ofthe slack-course finger d, which in turn is connected by link d, extended loosely through one arm (Z fast on the slack-course shaft d having at its opposite end a lever-arm d", the outer end of which terminates over the gaging-screw (1 the position of which determines the length of loop formed in the main body of the fabric by the cylinder-needles e. The inner end of this lever-arm (1* (see Figs. 5 and 6) is slotted to embrace a pin d extended from the vertically-sliding block (1 to which is attached in suitable manner the drawing-down cam d for the cylinder-needles, so that as the said rock-shaft is moved by or through the said finger the said block is moved and the length of loop which the cylinder-needles will make is varied. The block d guided in the ring (Z is normally lifted by a spring (W. This ring at its interior is provided with the usual steel facing d d, on which travel the butts of the cylinder-needles e, which slide in usual grooves in the needle-cylinder E, (shown best in Fig. 1 as seated rigidly on the large gear E, supported by the bearing-plate E attached by screws E inserted in the bed-plate A the toothed periphery of the said gear being engaged by the peripheral teeth of the gear B, fast on the shaft B The needle-cylinder and dial-plate rotate at the same speed. The screw-threaded end of the rod d referred to beyond the arm (1 is provided with a nut (Z the position of which on the said rod controls the additional length of loop to be taken for the slack course both for cutting off the work and for running the rib-top on the needles. The nearer this nut (Z to the finger d the longer the loops in the slack courses, and vice versa. The pattern -chain F, composed of IIO blocks suitably jointed together by links F,

is moved intermittingly over the guides F by the chain-wheel F mounted on a stud F and having connected to it a ratchetwheel F which is engaged by a sliding pawl f, suitably guided and reciprocated by a lever f, (shown chiefly by dotted lines, Fig.

4,) the inner end of the said lever having:

a roller or other stud or projection, which at each rotation of the take-up frame G, at-

tached to the ring-gear E, is struck by a cam tions or indicators 0 (Z the former of which in the desired order acts on the welt-finger 0, Whereas the projections (1 act only on the slack-course finger d. Fig. 3 shows ten projections 0 arranged in succession on the chain, that being the number of courses it is desired to knit on the cylinder-needles for the welt; but the number of the said projections which shall immediately succeed each other in line may be more or less, according to the number of courses desired for or the length of the welt, the machine making any desired len th ofwelt b Y addin or removin the roa e e p jectlons a \Vhen the welt-finger c is to be moved to commence a welt, a projection 0 comes under the toe 3, and the said finger in its movement through the link 0 turns the slack-course finger d, causing it, through the link cl and rock-shaft (1 to lower the block (Z and cause the needles 6 to knit the welt looser, if desired. The extent of looseness or elasticity in the welt may be controlled and be more or less, according to the adjustment of the nut (Z The nut (Z23 on the rod 0, connecting the welt-finger c with the slack-course finger (Z, is made adjustable on the rod 0', in order that the welt-finger a may in its movement move the arm d and the slack-course shaft more or less to adapt the machine to the yarn used and the work being done. One of the projections (Z meets the finger d whenever a slack course is to be formed, and in practice two such slack courses are formed for each end", one to mark the point where the web is to be cut off and the other to enable the top or cuff to be run onto the needles of another machine, these courses being usually from one-fou rth' to one-half inch apart. .W hen the finger c is turned by the action of a projection 0 on its toe 3, the dial-cam-controlling plate D is turned in the direction of the arrow 25 thereon, Fig. ll, causing the throwing-out cam a" to be drawn in, so that it ceases to throw out the dialneedles, and during this movement of the plate D the projection Z) arrives in the rear or large end of the slot (1 and in this condition of the parts the drawing-in cam a is left free, so that as the butts ot' the dial-needles in the rotation of the dialplate meet the said cam it is moved somewhat outwardly, the said cam a by being loosely held at such time preventing any reciprocation of the dial-needles which would possibly injure or break the loops held by them during the formation of a long welt, whereas I for the best results with all kinds of yarn prefer to leave the drawing-in cam a loose, as described, during the formation of the welt; yet this is not necessary, for the said cam may be held rigidly to the cam-plate in usual manner.

In the machine herein described the loosecourse finger cl is moved by the pattern surface or chain when it is desired to lower the drawing-down cam for the cylinder-needles to make a loose course, which is effected in one revolution of the needle-cylinder, and tubular knitting is resumed with loops of the usual length for a number of courses-say ten or twelve, more or lessand then the loosecourse finger is again moved to effect the knitting of a second loose course, this second of the pattern surface or chain, and any desired number of courses for the welt are knitted on the cylinder-needles, the dial-needles being at that time out of action. The length of the loops in the welt may be controlled by adjusting the nut (Z The nut (Z may be adjusted on the rod d solely to control the length of loop for the two loose courses referred to. The take-up frame G carries the feeler A and the rolls A A referred to. The roll A has an attached ratchet-wheel H engaged by a pawl H on a pawl-carrying lever H having at one end a roller or other stud H which is acted upon once during each rotation of the frame G by a cam projection 11*, fast on the under side of the bearing-plate E The lever H has a connected spring H which turns the said lever in the direction to cause the pawl H to engage and rotate the ratchet H at the proper time. The said rolls are geared together in usual manner. The bed A has suitable supports for an annular track g, on which rotates the web-holder bed g, it being provided with a series of radial grooves for the reception of the web-holders it, one of which is shown separately in Fig. 16, said web-holders having each a point 26, which engages the Web and keeps it down on the cylinder-needles 6 while the weltis being knitted. The track ghas two like ears g", one of which is marked in Fig. at, the said ears having holes to fit over vertical post-s g fitted adj ustably into split tubular stands 9 provided with a clamp-screw g These Webholders have each a butt 27, which enters a cam-groove 10 of suitable shape at the under side of the web-holder-actuating cam ring or plate 7L2, the shape of the said cam being shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4, the shape being such as to keep the said web-holders with their points in contact with the edge of the work on all the needles (2, eX- cept those which are then being used in the formation of stitches, those web-holders be ing thrown outwardly by the cam projection w also shown by dotted lines in said figure. The outside of the cam-path into which the butts of the webholders enter is formed by a ring w partially cut away, as represented at 20 to aid in placing the ring in just the proper position, the ring being held in place by suitable set-screws 10? The plate 72.2 is held stationary by suitable screws 71 one of which is shown (see Fig. 1) extended through the track g. To rotate the web-holder bed in unison with the cylinder E, I connect the said cylinder and bed at suitable intervals by thin short strips or connections 30, one of which is shown in Fig. 1, the said strips at their opposite ends being suitably confined in grooves in the bed and at the upper-end of the cylinder, the grooves in the cylinder being between the needle-grooves. By adjusting the screw D the lever D may be made more or less to close the slot D so as to cause the plate D in its movement to put the drawing-in cam a in the desired position when the said cam is loosely mounted on the cam-plate Referring to Fig. 6, it Will be seen that the cam-ring (Z above the cam portion d has a web-placing cam m, which is adjustably attached to the ring by screws m. During ribknitting the cylinder-needles in their descent draw the yarn down between and over the dial-needles, and in operation the cylinderneedles cast over their loops a little before the dial-needles, so that as the dial-needles are drawn to cast over their loops the cylinder-needles are somewhat raised in their grooves by the action of the dial-needles in casting their loops, so as to place the hooks on the cylinder-needles a little above the points of the web-holders. Now to draw down the cylinder-needles to enable the web thereon to be placed in proper position with relation to the web-holders, so as to be properly engaged and held by the web-holders, the point 28 of the cam m meets the butts of the cydi'rTderneedles and depresses them just before the web-holders are thrown in to engage the said web and just after the dial-needles have cast off their stitches. The space between the point 28 and the point 29 of the drawing-down cam d allows the needles to rise slightly, as stated, thus to avoid breaking or cutting the loops as the dial-needles are casting over their loops. The cam m is made adjustable to correspond with the size of the yarn and the character of the fabric.

In this my improved machine the track on which the web-holder bed rotates is made in dependent of the needle-bed, which facilitates construction and adds to the durability and strength of the parts. It will be noticed (see Fig. 1) that the inner ends of the webholders always stand across the upper ends of the needle-cylinder, and consequently the said web-holders always form a support for the web, thus avoiding finishing the upper end of the cylinder by the addition thereto of what is known as a comb. The inner ends of the web-holders always support the web.

This invention is not limited to the exact form or construction of the intermediate devices between the pattern-surtace and the cams controlled by them. Then a bunch 0 strikes the heel 4 of the finger c, the dial-needles are automatically thrown into action.

In the formation of a welt of usual character, it containing about three courses, it is not necessary to change the position of the drawing-in cam a for the dial-needles; but for a greater number of courses than that'it is very desirable to change the position of that cam, so that while the welt is being knitted upon the cylinder-needles the dial-needles will not be moved.

In practice the strain of the loops or work on the dialneedles is sufficient sometimes to pull them out somewhat, so that their hooked ends will be even with the edge of the dial, and in such case if the drawing-in cam is fixed it must act to retract said dial-needles somewhat, and such slight movement is liable to cut or fray the stitches held by the dial-. needles.

I claim 1. A knitting-machine containing the following instrumentalities, viz: a needle-cylinder, its needles and operating-cams, a dial, dial-needles therein, their actuating-cams, a series of web-holders having their inner-ends shaped to support and engage the work, as described, actuating means for the web-holders, a pattern-surface, a finger 0, having atoe 3 and heel 4, connections between the said finger and dial-cams, and the projections 0 0 of the pattern-surface, automatically throwing the dial-needles out of and into action, substantially as described.

2. A knitting machine containing the following instrumentalities, viz: a needle-cylinder, its needles and operating-cams,a dial, dial-needles therein, their actuating-cams, a series of web-holders having their inner ends shaped to support and engage the work, as described, actuating means for the web-holders, a pattern-surface, a finger c, havinga toe 3 and heel 4:, connections between the said finger and dial-cams, and the projections 0 0 of the pattern-surface, automatically thro wing the dial-needles out of and into action, and connections between the said finger c and the needle-cylinder cams to actuate the latter when the welt is being made, substantially as described.

3. A knitting-machine containing the fol lowing instrumentalities, Viz: a webholder bed, a series of web-holders having their inner ends shaped to support the work, as described, actuating means for the web-holders, a needle cylinder, its needles and operating-cams, a rock-shaft operatively connected with the drawing-down cam of the cylinder-needles, a dial, dial-needles therein, their actuatingcams, a pattern-surface,and devices intermediate the said pattern-surface and the actuating-cams for the dial-needles and said rockshaft for the drawing-clown cam of the said cylinder-needles, whereby the said dial-needle cams are made automatically to put the dialneedles out of action during the formation of a welt and the said drawing-down cam is made automatically ,to draw down the cylinder-needles to effect looser knitting on the said cylinder-needles during the formation of the welt, substantially as described.

4. The slack course shaft having arm d combined with the fingers (Z and c, the pattern-surface, and the links 0' cl to connect said fingers and arm, as and for the purposes set forth.

5. The dial, its needles, the dial cam-plate, its swinging throwing-out cam a and swinging drawing -.in cam a combined with the separate dial-cam-controlling plate D, having slots D D to receive studs extended from the said cams, the said slot D being of greater width than .the diameter of the pin of the drawing-in cam, in order that the said cam may be left free and thus prevent reciprocation of the dial-needles during the formation of a long welt, and a pattern-surface and connecting means to actuate said plate, substantially as described.

6. The dial, its needles, the dial cam-plate, the loosely-mounted drawing-in cam, and a pattern-surface, combined with the dial-camcontrolling plate and intermediate connections to actuate it, substantially as described.

7. The dial, its needles, the dial cam-plate, the loosely-mounted drawing-in cam, and a pattern-surface, combined with the dial-camcontrolling plate having an adjustable lever D and intermediate connections to actuate the said plate, substantially as described.

8. The needle-cylinder, the needles therein, the dial, its needles, means to actuate them, the web-holder bed, and the web-holders and their actuating devices, combined with the web-placing cam, to operate substantially as described.

9. The needle-cylinder, its attached take-up frame, its rollers, actuating devices therefor, and the feeler, combined with the belt-shipper handle and intermediate devices actuated by the feeler when the knitted Web is unduly slack to stop the machine, substantially as described. 7

10. The needle-cylinder, its needles, the gear E, attached to said cylinder, the dial, its shaft and gear B the dial-needles, the can or receptacle B and its gear B and a guide for the upper end of the can, combined with a vertical shaft having gears 13 B, and B and intermediate gears between the said gears B and B, to operate substantially as described.

11. The shaft 8*, having the long gear 13 the stand in which the said shaft has its upper bearing, and the movable bracket B having a sleeve guided by the said stand,and the dial-shaft and dial, combined with the gear B and the intermediate gears between it and the said gear B the length of the latter being such as to enable the bracket B to be raised to elevate the dial and yet leave the gears B and B in engagement, substantially as described.

12. The cylinder, the cylinder-needles, the bracket B having a foot B the dial-shaft carried thereby and the dial, and the stand on which the sleeve of the said bracket is adapted to be moved vertically, combined I with a stud B to enter a hole in the said foot and insure correct central position for the dial and its needles with relation to the cylinder and its needles, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES F. GORDON. 

